Your Life Upgrade

How a 24-Year-Old is Helping People Enjoy Their Time In Life

noreply@blogger.com (Gene Z.) — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 16:05:00 +0000

Steve Tobiasz doesn’t have a job. In fact, he’s not even looking for one. You might consider him an entrepreneur. You might think he’s crazy. All in all he is very different from the average 24-year-olds you meet. However, Steve is doing something most of us only wish for: What he loves.

If you ask Steve what his job is he might give you 10 different answers. Each one of those answers however relates back to his overall goal of helping people enjoy their time in life. A native of Lake Zurich, Illinois, Steve is an author of 2 books, a philanthropist, host of a podcast comedy show, former intern for Conan O’Brian and is currently filming a TV show pilot. All of his work revolves around comedy and he is constantly making sacrifices just to make people laugh. Steve’s latest book is called “Detail Disoriented”, a collection of short stories that depict real life situations in a humorous way.

I sat down with Steve to ask him some questions about the book and how he balances his busy lifestyle.

What gave you the idea to write your book?

As a 24-year-old I understood that most people my age were procrastinators. I wanted to do something that made me happy so I just sat down and did it. After seeing my stepbrother, who has Down Syndrome, perform in a play produced by Ups For Downs, a charity supporting kids with Down Syndrome, I saw how happy he was and decided I wanted to donate all the money I make from the book to charity.

That takes dedication. How do you stay motivated to write knowing you won’t be making money off of the book?

It was amazing to see my stepbrother be a part of that play and have one weekend where it was just his…and my decision to donate to Ups for Downs as well as the Chicago Blood Cancer Foundation, gave me even more motivation to write. I asked myself “Do I go out drinking or do something I’m proud of?” It was a pretty easy answer. I set a schedule and just committed to writing. You have to hold yourself accountable.

What is the marketing strategy you use to promote yourself and the book?

Free online giveaways, book release parties, a few radio appearances, blogs and social media. Twitter is extremely effective. If somebody re-tweets your twee, that’s like free advertising. It works great.

Working for Conan must have been pretty cool?

Yea it was the best experience ever. I got really lucky. I networked to get that job. I also had the opportunity to work with his show when he was in Chicago recently. My ultimate goal in life is to be a talk show host.

What is some advice you would give to people our age trying to pursue their goals and dreams?

Know what you want and fully commit to it. The sooner you know, the happier you will be. Also, put your full effort into each task you do. If you want to succeed, you have no other option. Don’t worry about money. Take risks.

What are you currently doing and what do you have coming up?

Currently I’m promoting Detail Disoriented, doing a few book signings, a mini promo-tour, finishing a TV pilot, pitching the pilot, hosting my podcast and getting ready to write my next book.

Multi-tasking, making people laugh and donating your earnings to charity. Sounds like you are not only keeping yourself happy but others as well.

You can find out more about Steve by going to his website at www.stevetobiasz.com

Job Hunting? Here Are Some Things NOT To Do

noreply@blogger.com (Gene Z.) — Tue, 15 May 2012 04:15:00 +0000

As someone who interviews interns at my company, I have read hundreds of resumes and cover letters. Through this experience, I have learned how a candidate stands out both positively and negatively. One conclusion I have come to: it is shocking how terrible MOST resumes and cover letters are.

You would think that people who attend Northwestern or University of Chicago would know how to write a good cover letter, but surprisingly these applicants typically have some of the worst applications. Here is some advise when applying for a job.

1) Follow Directions

If the directions say to send your resume AND cover letter... Send your resume and cover letter. It doesn't do you or the recruiter any good if you send just one. In fact, some recruiters wont even look at your application if you don't follow simple directions.

2) Do NOT say "To whom it may concern"

This goes along with following directions. If the application provides contact info, make sure to address it that person. Many applicants have addressed me by name in an email but in their application they say "to whom it may concern". This shows lack of care and attention to detail. If you don't know the name of the person say something like "HR manager" or "Hiring Manager".

3) Mention the company (and the right one) you are applying for in your cover letter

If you are applying to "Marketing Company X" make sure you mention that. Don't say "I would be right for the position at Boeing" if you are not applying to Boeing. Also, if there is no mention of the company you are applying for in your cover letter, it becomes obvious you put no effort into your application. If you don't put effort into your application, the recruiter will not put effort into reading it.

4) Mention experience, not hobbies

Its okay to talk about your hobbies or interests if asked in an interview. Do not put it on your resume or cover letter. Talk about your experience and why you would be a good fit for the job. Your fishing or mini-golf interest will not make you stand out in a positive way.

5) Don't be weird

Be personable, intellectual and just follow the rules of job hunting. Here are some no-no's

- Don't have large or colorful fonts. Be simple.
- Don't say you are the next Steve Jobs and can make the company millions of dollars (Yea, I've seen that)
- Don't write how many words per minute you can include. This is 2012, not 2002.
- Don't have a 3 sentence cover letter. It's called a letter, not a paragraph.
- Don't include what you did in middle school or high school. Being the football star in high school may have gotten you girls but it won't get you a job.

An employer is looking to see your experience and how you would be a good fit for their company. Everyone has value - know how to talk about it.

Will Google Outclass Apple with Project Glass?

noreply@blogger.com (Gene Z.) — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 19:33:00 +0000

Google may have one-upped Apple on this one. Not by design, but by idea.

Project Glass, the innovative new technology developed by Google, is sure to take technology to a whole new level. What may look like large, dorky glasses, are actually the newest form of technology the encompasses voice recognition, maps and other features you wouldn't expect on a pair of glasses.

According to uproxx.com, "The glasses can stream information to the lenses and allow the wearer to send and receive messages through voice commands. There is also a built-in camera to record video and take pictures."

See Project Glass video here

Although Project Glass is still being developed, rumors have suggested Google may try to release this product within a year. In fact, Google co-founder Sergey Brin was recently seen wearing these around town. This type of technology aims to eventually eliminate smartphones completely, as voice control continues to take over.

Of course this increases the chance of distraction for someone focusing on an image while driving or walking. This parody is a good example of what may or may not happen if you are not careful with your glasses. -- Google Glasses a New Way to Hurt Yourself

Even though this hasn't come out yet, it makes you wonder what life will be like in just a few years. Will there be iPhones? Ipads? Even those dirty green goblins that call themselves Androids? Maybe. There will probably be something cooler than Project Glass. The technology revolution may just be taking off.

Check out this amazing video on Project Glass.

To read more about Google's new product read these stories from Wired and CNET magazine.

Are You Willing to be a Crowdfunder?

noreply@blogger.com (Gene Z.) — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 20:10:00 +0000

Our economy is in bad shape. Companies are laying people off. People can't afford things they used to be able to afford. Worried yet?

Even as a 23-year-old I see this around me. Friends not being able to find a job and parents constantly scared about their job security has become a common trend.

Our wonderful solutions: Tax the rich. Cut taxes on small businesses. Start killing off our population. Maybe.

In today's society more people are starting their own businesses. While this can be effective, it is extremely challenging to get the proper funding to start-up a company, manage resources, hire people and try to succeed. This is where crowdfunding comes in. You may have heard about the concept of people donating money to start-ups to support their business vision. Kickstarter.com has become a popular site for people who are interested in this concept. Since these donors are prohibited by the law to receive equity for their efforts, they can only receive small gifts such as concert tickets, DVDs and clothes.

A new bill gaining support through Washington, the Entrepreneur Access to Capital Act, may have dramatic impact on crowdfunding. While this bill does not allow cash to be given back to donors, it will allow companies to provide small stock options for people investing in them. Not only does this have the potential to explode as an idea, it can also spur innovation and help the economy. With start-up businesses succeeding, more jobs are offered, new technologies are developed and the economy grows.

How would you feel if you could be a stake-holder in Facebook, Groupon or any other company that has massively grown within the last decade? Are you willing to make some donations?

Read more about kickstarter.com and crowdfunding.

10 Things to Do in NYC Without Overspending

noreply@blogger.com (Gene Z.) — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 01:41:00 +0000

New York can definitely be an expensive city to visit (I learned the hard way this weekend). However, there are several things you can do to keep your wallet from emptying:

1) Central Park

Grab some food, walk around, go to the zoo, enjoy the view and get lost in Central Park. If you are feeling lazy and have 50 bucks on you, take a horse carriage ride.

2) Food

There are tons of famous restaurants in New York like

Katz Deli, Nathan's Hot Dogs and brick oven pizza joints. However, if you can find a good food cart (they are all over the city), for 5 bucks you will be full.

3) Rockefeller Center

For under 40 bucks you can go on top of the Rockefeller to see the city and take a tour of NBC studio. There a high chance you will see some celebrities too.

4) Staten Island Ferry

Instead of paying 25 bucks for a water taxi...pay FREE to get on the Staten Island Ferry and see the same Statue of Liberty and the city skyline.

5) Museum Mile

Almost all of the popular museums such as The Met, The Guggenheim and The Museum of Natural History have "Suggested Prices". This means you pay what you can.

6) The Multi-Neighborhoods

If you don't want to pay to get in a ca

b, take the subway or ride in a horse carriage, put on some comfortable shoes and walk around. On a nice day you can walk around lower Manhattan and see neighborhoods like SOHO, Greenwhich, East Village, Little Italy, Chinatown, the Financial District and Brooklyn Bridge.

7) Times Square

Bright lights, Giant TV Screens and foreigners. If you don't want to spend money, walk around Times Square and take pictures.

8) Greenwhich Village

Almost every bar has a happy hour that is cheap. If you want to spend a little bit of money go see a stand-up show at the Comedy Cellar.

9) Little Italy

Italian guys will stand outside the restaurants to pursuade to come in. For 10 bucks you can find some tasty pasta and a glass wine.

10) Chinatown

If you can get beyond the hanging roasted ducks and living fish that swarm around Chinatown, you can find some decent food. And some fake Rolexes as well.

Other Notables: Coney Island, Brooklyn, Please Don't Tell, Crif Dogs, The Sex Museum, Bryant Park, Grand Central Station and much more.

10 Great Apps For Your iPhone. What Are Your Favorite Ones?

noreply@blogger.com (Gene Z.) — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 18:09:00 +0000

With thousands of iPhone apps, it is hard to keep up with what is relevant for you. Fortunately, there are several apps that can make life a lot easier and keep you up-to-date with what your interests are. Here are my picks for some of the best apps for the iPhone.

1) Flipboard

If you read news, are active in social media, and don't have a lot of time on your hands, this app is a must have. Follow your favorite news sources and integrate your social networks into Flipboard to stay caught up in whatever is relevant and interesting for you.

2) HootSuite

Tired of managing multiple social media outlets? With the HootSuite app you can post the same content to multiple portals such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

3) Redeye

If you are a Chicagoan, you are familiar with the Redeye newspaper. This app not only brings you the news, but it also features a CTA tracker so know when to expect your next bus or train.

4) Camera+

For only $.99, Camera+ is one of the best cameras out there. You can use multiple editing formats to make your pictures stand out.

5) Camera Awesome

This is a brand new app that is very similar to Camera+. However, this app has a lot more features and most importantly - its FREE.

6) My Phone+

MyPhone+ lets you sync your phone book with your Facebook contacts. This brings photos and other information directly to your phone. Furthermore, MyPhone+ adds your friends' birthdays directly to your calendar.

7) Wallpapers HD

If you get bored with backgrounds for your phone, this app is good to have. There are thousands of backgrounds and categories to choose from to always keep your phone fresh.

8) Mint

Spending too much money? Can't figure out a budget? Mint syncs with your bank account and you can set budgets to keep track of where your money is going.

9) Kicksend

If you are ever sharing multiple pictures with someone you know that the iPhone only lets you send 5 at a time. Kicksend will allow you to share up to 100 pictures.

10) TV Showtime

Watch a lot of TV shows? TV Showtime will let you know when your favorite shows are airing and you can keep track of what you have seen and what you still need to see.

What are your favorite iPhone apps?

Coffee in the Morning? How About a Beer

noreply@blogger.com (Gene Z.) — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 04:27:00 +0000

Hold the espresso and give me a shot of tequila. It'll be a long day.

According to Forbes, Starbucks will begin selling alcoholic beverages in some of their locations. After initial trials were run in Seattle and Oregon, Atlanta, Southern California and Chicago will be the next cities to experience the Coffee chains drink upgrade.

Personally, I think its a great idea. This gives me a happy hour I can actually make it to, considering I'm too tired to drink after work. Furthermore, this provides good morning entertainment. Who wouldn't want to see people stumbling out of a Starbucks at 7 am after drinking a few too many? Maybe the drunk businessmen in the morning will scare away the homeless people that sit out in front of the Starbucks outside of my work. Then again, maybe the smell of booze in the morning will attract more of them.

To read more about another way to promote America's binge drinking problem, click here.

What Kind of Employee Are You?

noreply@blogger.com (Gene Z.) — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 02:57:00 +0000

We all want to be happy at our jobs. Some people are. They get paid well, enjoy the company of their co-workers and are fully aligned with their company's goals. However, there are those that are unhappy. It seems that people tend to fall into 4 catagories at their job: The Lazy, The Overachiever, The Overworked and The Unnoticed.

The Lazy

This is the person that comes to work and doesn't do anything. Facebook is always in the background of what they are doing (not that isn't for all of us). Sometimes they pretend to work, but most of the time they are not doing anything. They are either on their way out the door or are about to die of boredom.

The Overachiever

The person we love to hate. Sometimes this is because we wish we were them. They are successful, get praise from the boss and worst-of-all, they don't even seem like they are trying hard. Screw them.

The Overworked

The person that is the first one to arrive and the last one to leave. At your job there is never any coffee because this person has consumed every last drop. They don't even have time to go to the bathroom after so much coffee. Unfortunately, this person is also stuck at the job with little opportunity for growth and no desire to tell off their boss.

The Unnoticed

Depending on where you work and how many people are in your company, most people will fall into this category. They work decently hard. They fulfill their job description. Their boss is satisfied with their work. However, this is never enough. They are stuck.

So how do we break lazy habits and get noticed without overworking and being the hated overachiever? Here are Inc. Magazine's 8 qualities that remarkable workers possess.

1. They ignore job descriptions.
2. They’re eccentric...
3. But they know when to dial it back.
4. They publicly praise...
5. And they privately complain.
6. They speak when others won’t.
7. They like to prove others wrong.
8. They’re always fiddling.

To read more about how to become a remarkable employee read the original Inc. article here.

Looking for some Fun? Check this out.

noreply@blogger.com (Gene Z.) — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 05:20:00 +0000

I think it is safe to say most of us have moved on from simply listening to rap music or pretending to know what to do when dub-step comes on. If you are looking for some music that is upbeat and unique, Fun's new CD, Some Nights, has all of the elements of good music.

Never heard of FUN? Check out this awesome video to their feel-good song, Walking the Dog

Here is their new song, Some Nights. Enjoy!

Upgrade Alert: Use "Chirpify" to Buy Things Instantly on Twitter

noreply@blogger.com (Gene Z.) — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 23:11:00 +0000

A new start-up company called Chirpify is taking some innovative strides in the commerce industry. By teaming up with PayPal, Chirpify has introduced a new concept called "T-Commerce". Essentially, the company allows people to buy products from brands simply by tweeting to them. By tweeting "@favoritebrand buy" you can buy a product within seconds. By tweeting "@politician donate" you can donate money to a politician of your choice or "donate" to a friend if you owe them money. Chirpify and PayPal's partnership allows for simple money exchange as well as brand exposure for companies. Chris Teso, the CEO of Chirpify, says the benefit to brands is it becomes "a way to instantly monetize their followers.”

Seems like soon we will just be able to snap our fingers and to get what we want (certain people already can). Or perhaps companies such as these allow for people to spend more and more money and eventually...go broke.

To read more about Chirpify you can read the original Mashable article here.

30 Most Influential Young Entrepreneurs of 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Gene Z.) — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 22:40:00 +0000

As the world continues to become more social and the economy recovers, more and more people are becoming entrepreneurs. Even as a 23 year old, I see this around me all the time. Nearly 1/2 my guy friends have their own start-up business and some are very successful with it. Under30CEO recently named their top 30 under 30 CEO's of 2011. People like Mark Zuckerburg obviously made the list, but there are also other young business owners who may see a lot of success in 2012.

Check out the full list here: 30 Most Influential Young Entrepreneurs of 2011

How to Use Technology to Inspire Good Habits

noreply@blogger.com (Gene Z.) — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 21:32:00 +0000

Two organizations are taking advantage of technology by blending charity and business in a way to inspire people to change the way they live.

The American Cancer Society’s Choose You Champaign is using online tools to urge woman to put their own health first as they support the fight against cancer. Participants set eight-week goals in categories such as healthy eating, staying active, quitting smoking, having regular checkups and protecting your skin. If they don’t hit their goals they make a commitment to donate money to ACS to help fight cancer.

Similarly, online company DailyFeats, offers gamelike incentives to people who are trying to change their habits. “Users are able to go online or use their smartphones to record their small ‘feats’ such as taking the stairs, flossing, or getting to bed early.” Reward points and discounts from companies supporting the imitative are awarded to users who achieve their goals.

To learn more about how Choose You and DailyFeats are combing technology and philanthropy to serve organizational mission read the Chronicle of Philanthropy story he r e.

10 Tricky Interview Questions and How to Respond to Them

noreply@blogger.com (Gene Z.) — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 21:06:00 +0000

As someone who constantly interviews new interns at my work I am always looking for questions to ask them (more like to stump them). However, I too have been an interviewee and it's not easy being in the hot seat. Here are some tricky questions an interviewer might ask you and what you should say in response.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/2012/02/23/watch-out-ten-interview-questions-designed-to-trick-you/

First Post!

noreply@blogger.com (Gene Z.) — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 19:53:00 +0000

Welcome to my new blog! This blog will feature up-to-date stories and note-worthy news focusing on technology, music and business.

For a first blog, check out this video of a fan who tries to fight Benny the Bull: